No Way to Stop It
by SongtotheMoon17
Summary: Georg is in love with Elsa and is thinking very seriously about marrying her. But Maria is still in love with him. What happens when a friend of Georg, Max and Elsa's comes to visit and falls in love with Maria? Full summary inside. Dedicated to...
1. Arrival in Salzburg

**SUMMARY: **Starts off when Elsa first arrives. Georg is in love with Elsa and is thinking very seriously of marrying her. The only trouble is, Maria is still in love with him but he only thinks of her as a friend. What happens when a friend of Georg, Max and Elsa's falls in love with Maria? Guest appearance made by Charley Jackson.

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the Sound of Music or any of its characters, not even Charley. All rights to him go to divadarling. Big thanks to you for letting me use him!

**QUICK A/N: **So I realise many people don't really like Elsa, but I noticed something in her while being in the musical and watching the movie over the last 3 weeks. She really isn't an evil person. And I really believe she wanted to love the children she was just very unsure of how to do it and scared. If you look very closely when she first arrives, you will see the look of horror on her face when Georg blows his whistle at the children. The way Eleanor Parker portrayed her almost made her seem like a victim rather than a villain. Really, she is, especially when you look at her when she is saying goodbye to Georg. She is crying, so it is quite obvious she loved him and he left her heart broken. I think she deserves to have a story written about her where she marries Georg. So anywho, enough of my factoid ramblings, on with the show! Enjoy!

...

No Way to Stop It

Chapter One

"This really is exciting for me, Georg, being here with you."

Elsa turned away from the lake to look at Georg. He smiled at her and gave her a small chuckle. "Trees, lakes, mountains, when you've seen one, you've seen them all."

Rolling her eyes, Elsa turned to face him completely and lightly hit him on the chest. "That is not what I mean and you know it," she informed him.

A look of mock realisation crossed Georg's face. "Ah, you mean me!" he said. "I'm exciting."

"Is that so impossible?"

Georg shrugged slightly and shook his head. "No," he confessed slightly reluctantly. "Just highly improbable," he added jokingly.

Elsa gave him a sympathetic look and linked arms with him as they started walking away from the lake. "There you go," she said quietly. "running yourself down again."

"Well I'm a dangerous driver."

Laughing, the two of them continued to walk along the side of the lake arm in arm. Elsa turned to look at Georg's face; he looked so much happier when he was here, more peaceful. Of course, he was always happy to be with her in Vienna. Why else would he visit so often? But there was something about this place that made him different, and so far she has seen more of that man here in the last forty five minutes than she had seen in Vienna for the last three and a half years. It was almost exciting for her, a wonderful experience.

"You know," she started. "You're – you're much less of a riddle when I see you here, Georg."

He turned and looked at her with a mock expression of confusion. "In my natural habitat?"

"Yes, exactly!"

He chuckled slightly as they walked a little further down the side of the lake. "Are you trying to say," he started. "that I'm more at home here among the birds and the flowers and the wind that moves through the trees like a restless sea, hmm?"

Elsa turned and looked at Georg with a realistically surprised look in her eyes. "How poetic!" she complimented.

He gave her a friendly smirk and stopped walking to turn to her. "Yes, it was rather, wasn't it?"

Elsa laughed as Georg linked arms with her again and continued walking. "More at home here than in Vienna?" he continued jokingly. "In all your glittering salons? Gossiping gaily with bores I detest? _Soaking_ myself in champagne? Stumbling about to waltzes by Strausses I can't even remember?" He stopped again as she turned to look at him, laughing. "Is that what you're trying to say?"

"More or less, yes," Elsa giggled.

"Now, _whatever_ gave you that idea?" he asked dramatically.

Elsa laughed again and then looked around once more. It _was_ peaceful here; she could see why he liked it better here than in Vienna. It was certainly a lot quieter than busy Vienna. "Oh, I do like it here Georg," she sighed, taking in her peaceful surroundings. "It's so lovely and peaceful. How can you leave it as often as you do?"

He shrugged and looked around. "Oh, pretending to be _madly_ active, I suppose," he replied. "Activity suggests a life filled with purpose."

Suspiciously, Elsa raised her eyebrows. "Could it be running away from memories?" she asked quietly.

"Mmm," he replied looking around at his surroundings. "Or perhaps just searching for a reason to stay."

Smiling, Elsa rubbed his arm as he snaked his arm around her shoulders and they began walking back the way they came.

"Oh, I hope that's why you've been coming to Vienna so often," she smiled looking into his eyes. "Or were there other distractions there?" she added with pretend seriousness.

Georg chuckled. "Oh, I'd hardly call you a mere distraction, darling," he replied as he moved to tickle her.

Elsa laughed and moved away daintily. She stopped and then turned to smirk at him. "Well, what would you call me, Georg?" she asked in a sweet voice.

He looked at the woman in front of him for a few seconds and thought. "Mmm," he thought. "Lovely." Elsa bowed her head as she blushed slightly. "Charming, witty, graceful. The perfect hostess. And, uh," he paused as he decided whether or not he should say it. "You're going to hate me for this – in a way, my saviour."

"Oh, how unromantic," Elsa said with a slightly disappointed look on her face.

Georg shrugged and took her hands. "Well, I'd be an ungrateful wretch if I didn't tell you at least once that it was you who brought some meaning back into my life."

Elsa smiled and linked arms with him once more as they began walking again. "Well," she began. "I am amusing, I suppose. And I do have the finest couturier in Vienna. And the most glittering circle of friends. And I do give some rather gay parties."

At that, Georg laughed. "Ho, ho, ho, yes," he chuckled.

"But take all that away and you have just wealthy, unattached little me . . . searching just like you."

Georg smiled and put his arm around her shoulders once more as they made their way to the veranda. As they approached the steps, he noticed Max sit down with yet _another_ plate of food. He turned and smirked at Elsa and then chuckled. "Still eating, Max?" he asked. He made a few tutting sounds. "Must be unhappy."

Max turned and looked at the two of them as they joined him. "That marvellous mixed quartet I've been trying for _months_ to steal away from Saul Feurock," he told them.

Elsa sat down in the chair next to him and touched his shoulder. "What happened, darling?" she asked as a servant came up behind her and poured a cup of tea for her.

Max looked at her with a look on his face that would make one think that Elsa should already know what happened. "Yesterday," he began. "Sascha Petrie stole them first!"

Georg sat down next to Elsa and out her hand in his. She turned to look at him and then playfully rolled her eyes at Max. He tried not to chuckle as Max continued his story dramatically.

"If there's one thing I _hate,_ it's a thief!"

At that, Georg did chuckle. "But, Max, you really must learn to, um," he paused as he thought. "_love_ yourself."

Max looked at him with disbelief. "For this I had to call Paris, Rome _and _Stockholm."

"On Georg's telephone, of course."

"Well how else could I afford it?" he asked. He leaned back in the chair and took a deep breath of the country air. "Oh, dear, I like rich people." He looked at Elsa who rolled her eyes once again. "I like the way they live. I like the way _I _live when I'm with them."

Both Georg and Elsa stood up from their chairs and ignored him. Elsa reached into her handbag and pulled out a cigarette and her cigarette holder along with matches while Georg looked around his property as if he had lost something. "I wonder where the children are?" he wondered aloud.

Elsa walked over to lean on the stone wall around the veranda and chuckled slightly. "Obviously they must have heard I was coming and went into hiding," she replied, although she knew his question was rhetorical.

"I was hoping they would be here to welcome you," he mumbled. "Uh, Max . . . uh, do step out of character for a moment and, uh, try and be charming."

Georg turned and walked into the villa, continuing his search for his children. Max watched closely as he went. As soon as he saw the door close, he stood up from his seat and sat on the stone wall next to Elsa. "Well?" he asked.

Elsa continued to look out to the lake as she lit her cigarette. Quickly, she put out the flame on the match and then turned to Max. "Well, what?" she asked, slightly irritated.

He shook his head and her and crossed his arms. "Have you made up Georg's mind yet?" he asked curiously. "Do I hear _wedding _bells?"

Elsa smiled and turned away from the lake to face the same direction as Max. "Pealing _madly_," she said enthusiastically.

"Honest?"

She shrugged and started to turn back around. "But not necessarily for me."

Shocked, Max stared at her. "What kind of talk's that?"

Elsa turned her head to look at Max with disbelief. "That is _none-of-your-business_ talk, Max!" she informed him matter-of-factly. "I am terribly fond of Georg and I will _not _have you toying with us!"

Max shifted impatiently on his spot on the wall. "But I'm a child. I like toys," he told her. "So, tell me everything."

Elsa thought about it for a second. There was always an upside to telling Max: obviously someone to confide in when she couldn't tell Georg everything. But there was also a downside to it. Max could be terribly demanding when it came to gossip. He was almost like a little old woman. Once he found out one thing, he wanted to know everything that happened in that category and wouldn't stop until he found it all out. Almost like his search for performers in the Salzburg Festival. As soon as she thought of the downside, she instantly shook her head at Max.

"Aw, come on," he begged. "Tell Max every teensy weensy, intimate, disgusting detail."

At that comment, Elsa smiled, amused. Comments like that were the reason she fell into Max's trap every time he wanted to know something. "Well," she started, turning around to face the same way as him again. "Let's just say I have a feeling I may be here on approval."

Max nodded, thankful she finally decided to talk to him about her and Georg. "Well, I approve of that," he agreed. "How can you miss?"

Elsa looked ahead of her in her own little world. "Far too easily," she whispered.

Chuckling, Max shook his head. "If I know you, darling – and I do – you will find a way."

She came back to the world that Max was in, but continued looking in front of her. "Oh, he's no ordinary man."

Max guffawed and then looked at Elsa. "Wah-ho, he's rich!"

Ignoring him, Elsa continued on. "When his wife died, she left him with a terrible heartache," she whispered with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"When your husband died, he left you with a terrible fortune."

Shocked, Elsa turned to look at him and then swatted him across the shoulder. "Oh, Max, you really are a beast!" she said mockingly.

"You and Georg are like family to me," he explained as he hugged her around the shoulders. "That's why I want to see you two get married. We must keep all that _lovely_ money in the family."

Elsa looked up at him and giggled. That was all Max could ever think about! He definitely loved money, that's for sure. Where all the money he made from talent-scouting went, she had no idea. It was very probable that he spent it on some silly knick knacks or something. It wasn't like he didn't make enough money out of the deal. Especially when he was the one who earned all the money from the acts and not the performers themselves.

Suddenly, the two of them heard Georg yelling. Elsa looked up and saw him standing on the far side of the veranda talking to a telegram boy. They began to move closer to where to two were talking when they heard, "Heil Hitler!"

Elsa turned and looked at Max in alarm. _What is happening to Austria?_ she thought. Even children were joining the wrong side.

"Who are you?" she heard Georg ask.

The boy looked at Georg and then back at Elsa and Max. "I have a telegram for Herr Detweiler," he explained with a whole lot more confidence than Elsa had heard him speaking with only moments before.

Max stepped forward to grab the telegram. "I'm Herr Detweiler."

"Yes, sir," he began to move forward to hand the telegram to Max when Georg snatched it right out of his hands and handed it to Max.

"Alright," Georg said impatiently. "You've delivered your telegram. Now, get out."

The boy quickly looked at Georg, then at Max, then at Elsa, almost as if waiting for someone to tell him Georg didn't mean it. When no one spoke up, he quickly and clumsily grabbed his bike and rode away. Once he was out of sight, Max opened his telegram and Elsa slowly walked up to Georg, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Oh, Georg," she whispered. "He's just a boy."

Georg tensed up and kept staring at the spot where the boy had just ridden away from. "Yes," he replied simply, in a slightly sharp tone. "And I'm just an Austrian."

"What's going to happen, is going to happen," he started, still reading his telegram. "Just make sure it doesn't happen to you."

Georg turned to look at Max, outraged. "Max!" he yelled. "Don't you _ever_ say that again!"

Max stared at him shocked. "You know I have no political convictions," he explained calmly. "Can I help it if other people do?"

Georg continued to stare at him with fire in his eyes. "Oh, yes, you can help it!" he said with his voice still raised. "You _must _help it."

Max turned and walked away, slightly flustered, as Georg leaned on the wall to the veranda, deep in thought. Elsa took a quick glance at him, looked away, and then looked back when she noticed the upset look on his face.

"Hello?" she whispered gently. "You're far away. Where are you?"

Georg continued looking ahead in his own little world. "In a world that's . . . disappearing, I'm afraid," he whispered back weakly.

Elsa smiled sympathetically and put her hand on top of his. "Is there any way I can bring you back to the world I'm in?"

Georg smiled and was about to answer when he heard voices coming from the lake. Elsa watched as he stood up quickly and ran down the steps to the gate. She slowly followed him. As she neared closer to the lake, she realised why he had followed the voices; _these must be his children, _she thought. They seemed to be singing a very ragged version of some made up song. It was quite entertaining though.

When she was about half way to where Georg was standing, the children all stood up in the boat and started waving to their father. "Oh, Captain," she heard someone, presumably the governess, call. "You're home!" Obviously, one more person standing up was all the boat could take. As soon as she stood up, the boat tipped over and everyone fell into the water.

Instantly, Elsa ran down to where Georg was standing as he opened the gate that led to the lake. "Come out of that water at once!" Georg roared.

Elsa watched, amused, as the children and their governess sloshed around in the water. "Oh!" she heard the governess exclaim once more. "You must be Baroness Schraeder!"

Elsa tried not to laugh but failed, although she quickly covered it up when Georg sent a look her way. The children climbed out of the water, sopping wet, and began slipping around on the marble pathway. "I'm soaked to the skin!" she heard one of the children say.

Suddenly, she heard a whistle and all the children gathered into a straight line. Elsa turned and looked at Georg horrified that he made his children answer to a whistle. He slowly walked up and down the line, inspecting his children and pulling a bandana off of one of the girl's heads. Once he was finished, he stopped by her side again and looked at them.

"This," he started. "Is Baroness Schraeder." The children examined her for a second, the younger ones almost staring in awe. "And these," he added, signifying the line of sopping wet children. "Are my children."

Elsa nodded at him and then turned and smiled at the children. "How do you do," she asked politely. The children all smiled and nodded in acknowledgement.

"Alright. Go inside," Georg started. "Dry off, clean up, change your clothes, report back here!" He waited a few seconds for them to move. "Immediately!"

The children all scramble and slipped up the steps into the house. The governess began to follow close behind them with a disgusted look on her face, but Georg stopped her. "Fraulein, you will stay here, please!" he shouted at her.

Elsa looked at the two uncomfortably and began to consider whether or not she should stay, when she remembered Max. "I, uh, think I'd better go see what Max is up to." She gracefully walked past the governess and into the house.

...

Sorry guys, that's where I am leaving you today. I actually wanted to put a whole lot more in this chapter but I wanted to post it before bed and I didn't have time to write anything more than this. I am super busy lately, considering I am in this musical as well and our opening night is Friday. I understand that this chapter is a lot like the movie, but this is where I wanted to start my story and once we get into the next chapter, it won't be exactly like the movie as I will be adding scenes with Elsa in between the ones we see in the movie. Hope you guys enjoyed, and remember to press that pretty blue button to review! I might just tell you how opening night went if you do!

REVIEW!

V


	2. Fun in the Gardens

Chapter 2: Fun in the Gardens

Quickly but gracefully, Elsa walked up the stairs to the terrace and turned to look back at Georg and the governess. They seemed to be fighting over something so she turned and continued to walk into the house to find Max. Once she got inside, she immediately turned right into the sitting room where she saw Max pouring himself a glass of whiskey.

"Drinking now, are we, Max," she asked playfully with a mischievous look in her eyes. As she made her way over to Max, she heard footsteps hurrying down the stairs. "And right before the children come to see you too," she added, shaking her head and smirking.

Max turned and shot an equally playful and mischievous look at Elsa as the kids filed into the room in their uniforms. As she sat down on the sofa, Elsa smiled at them. The oldest picked up a guitar and nodded to one of the younger girls. A girl with black hair—who looked to be about the middle child—stepped forward.

"Baroness Schraeder," she said in a sweet voice. "Fraulein Maria taught us something to sing for your arrival and . . ." The girl turned and looked at her older sister once again, who nodded for her to continue. "And we would like to sing it for you now, if you would like."

Elsa turned and looked at Max—who had moved to lean on the wall behind her—clearly surprised and then turned back to the children. "Well, thank you, children," she said politely and smiled. I would love to hear it."

The children all murmured and smiled in excitement as they gathered themselves into position. Elsa turned once again and smiled at Max, who was watching the children intently as they began singing. In all honesty, the sound of Georg's children singing was just about the most beautiful sound she had ever heard. When the children were about halfway through the song, the sound of another voice suddenly joining them made them stop for a few seconds. Everyone, including Elsa and Max, turned toward the doorway and saw Georg singing.

_My heart will be blessed_

_With the sound of music_

_And I'll sing once more._

As the song ended, all seven of the children stood silently, staring at their father with tears in their eyes. Georg held out his arms to them and they all ran into them, each excitedly saying something simultaneously. Elsa watched Georg interact with his children in wonder and awe. So much so, that she hardly noticed the littlest one come up to her with a bundle of flowers in her small hand.

Elsa looked at the girl shocked and took the flowers from her gently. "Edelweiss," she whispered. She looked at the little girl with affection and hugged her to her. "Georg," she added looking up at the man she loved. "You never told me how enchanting your children are." He looked at her and shrugged as if to say he never knew.

Suddenly, Georg looked up at the doorway. Elsa followed his gaze and noticed the governess (Fraulein Maria, presumably) standing in the doorway watching the children. Georg looked down at Elsa and then at his children. "Children," he started. "Why don't you show Baroness Schraeder the gardens?"

Elsa smiled at Georg and the children. "Oh, I would love to see the gardens," she started and then looked at the children. "And I would love _you _to show them to me." She stood up from the couch and took the little girl's hand in hers when she tugged lightly on her sleeve. "I don't know any of your names yet," she added. "But we can use this time to become better acquainted."

The eight began to leave the room. As they did so, Georg turned to look at Max and gave him a look. Jokingly frustrated, but understanding, Max moved from his spot against the wall and followed them out.

"I'm Gretl," said the oldest blonde girl as they walked out onto the terrace.

At that comment all of the children began laughing, as did Max. Elsa was about to reply to 'Gretl' when the little girl holding her hand tugged on her sleeve urgently. "She's not Gretl!" the little girl corrected. "I am! She's Louisa."

Laughing, Elsa turned and looked at Max who nodded and then to Louisa who had an irritated expression on her face. "Uncle Max!" Louisa exclaimed. "How could you! Is it too much to ask to be able to trick _at least_ one person in this household these days?"

Max chuckled and shook his head at the tomboy. "Sorry, my dear," he said. "But Elsa needs to know your real names so I am not constantly laughing at her mistakes." He looked at Elsa and began to fake whisper. "And trust me; she doesn't like it when I laugh at her too often."

All the children giggled and looked at Elsa who was giving him a look. "Max, you are _outrageous_!" she exclaimed. After giving Max a small swat on the arm, she turned back to Louisa. "And how old are you_ Louisa_?" she asked, putting a little more emphasis on her name.

"Thirteen," Louisa mumbled. The kids all giggled again at Louisa's depression at being caught _yet_ again.

The nine of them continued down the steps from the terrace and past the gazebo to the gardens, the children all the while chattering away with her and introducing themselves. Little Gretl seemed to particularly enjoy dragging her around by the hand showing her every single, tiny inch of the garden.

Elsa thought back to every one of Georg's visits at her mansion in Vienna. Not once had he mentioned how sweet his children was, especially the little ones. Of course he had mentioned them to her once or twice, but never saying specific things about them. The one time she had asked about his children a few months ago, he had instantly tensed up slightly and averted his eyes saying "They're good children" and nothing more; almost as if he didn't know them at all.

About three minutes later, some of the children—namely Fredrich, Louisa, Kurt, Brigitta and Marta—started a game of tag and ended up chasing one another around the gardens, some even running into the small, but difficult, maze that was near the gardens. Elsa looked to Max who had a look of extreme amusement on his face. She gave him a slight frown as he turned to her with a guilty look on his face and shrugged. He turned away from her and ran off after the children, yelling to them that he was joining there game. _Oh, Max,_ she thought, sitting down on a bench as she watched the two littlest children run off after their older siblings leaving her only with Liesl. _Always a child at heart._ She chuckled slightly at that thought.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?"

Both Elsa and Liesl turned to see Georg standing behind them watching the gaggle of children chasing one another, including the big child. Elsa giggled slightly as he sat down next to her. "Uncle Max decided to join their game of tag, Father," Liesl explained in her oddly consistently calm voice.

"I see," he said, mostly to himself. "Never grow up, do we Max? Keep that up and you'll be Peter Pan."

Upon hearing this comment, Max turned and ran back to the bench. "What are you talking about, Georg," he started. "I'm already Peter Pan! I'm a child, remember?"

The three of them laughed as Max ran back to join the children and Georg turned to continue his conversation with Elsa. "So," he started quietly. "Did they introduce themselves or did they leave you to guess for yourself?"

Elsa gave him a small, amused smile. "No worries, darling," she said. "Only one of your children tried to trick me," she laughed.

Georg shook his head. "Louisa."

"Mmm . . . but little Gretl immediately corrected it considering she wasn't too happy about having her name taken away," Elsa explained.

Georg stared at her a few seconds, shocked. "She pretended to be Gretl? . . . Well that's one I haven't heard before. It's usually Brigitta . . . and sometimes Marta."

He got up from the bench and turned to offer his hand to her. She gladly took it and the two began to take a walk through the gardens, leaving Liesl watching the children and Max. "Your children really are enchanting, Georg," she told him as they walked through the branches of a weeping willow to the bench around the trunk.

They sat down and he turned to her. "I really didn't know," he confessed. "I pushed them away. Ignored them. Made them into sailors on one of my ships." He looked away from her face as if he were afraid to see her expression. "I know now that I was wrong. No matter how much they remind me of their mother, they still need their father. Not a sea captain."

Once again, he took her hand and helped her up off the bench, linking arms with her as they left the cool shade of the willow tree. "It seems that little Gretl has taken quite a shine to you," he chuckled as he spotted the children by the maze again, Liesl now with them.

Elsa smiled and laughed. "Oh, yes," she agreed. "She didn't even want to leave me to join the other children."

The two of them stopped to observe the children. For a few seconds, both of them were silent. "You probably remind her of her mother," he whispered to Elsa. She turned to him, shocked and he began to explain. "Gretl was only a year old when Agathe died. It is likely the only thing she remembers is her hair and her eyes, which were the same as yours. I don't think she has even seen a photo of her."

Elsa smiled and took his hand tenderly. "I hope they all begin to see me that way," she said.

"I hope they do too," Georg whispered. "They need a mother figure in their life. Not just a governess."

Their intimate conversation soon ended as there were sudden calls of 'Father! Father!' and soon the children were pulling him into their game. He laughed and dramatically began to act like a damsel in need of saving. Elsa giggled at him as he was eventually pulled down to the ground and piled on top of.

...

_Sorry guys, that's where I'm leaving you, no Charley this chapter He'll be here though! I know this chapter is a little on the short side compared to the monster I posted first, but I'll try to keep it at around the same word amount as chapter one. Please favourite, alert and review! Especially review because right at this moment I have absolutely no ideas for the next chapter. Funny, considering I know EXACTLY what is going to happen a few chapters from now..._

_Anywho! Review please!_

_V_


	3. Nighttime Excitement

Chapter 3: Nighttime Excitement

Later that same day, after dinner had finished, the children, Georg, Elsa, Max and Maria were in the sitting room, the adults just having a conversation and Maria getting the children ready to say goodnight.

"Alright, children," Maria started. "It's time you should be getting to bed. Say goodnight to your father, Uncle Max, and the Baroness."

The children all sighed but reluctantly stood up. Simultaneously, they all kissed their father and said goodnight to Uncle Max and Elsa. Immediately after, Maria began to quickly herd the children up to their rooms.

About ten minutes later, Maria had left the children's quarters of the house, thinking them to be asleep. But they were doing anything but sleeping. As soon as Maria left their quarters, the children quietly moved to the room Liesl, Louisa and Brigitta shared and sat in a circle on the three beds. For a few seconds, all of them were silent until one of them finally decided to speak.

"Well," Liesl started quietly. "What do we think of the Baroness?"

Suddenly the room was filled with an eruption of comments. Liesl laughed at the sudden excitement of her siblings and attempted to silence them. It was to no avail, though, as her siblings kept rambling on and on. One couldn't even really make out what anyone was saying. She heard the odd thing here or there, but that was it. Eventually, above all the others, she heard Kurt shout, "I THINK SHE'S PRETTY!" At that, everyone burst into laughter and little Gretl finally said, "I think she's a very nice lady" which issued another bout of laughter from the children.

The noise continued as everyone tried getting their opinion in, when suddenly they heard a quiet chuckle from the doorway. There stood Fraulein Maria. She must have heard them and managed to open the door without them noticing in all their excitement.

"Now," she started, mock-reprimanding. "Didn't I put you children to bed ten minutes ago?"

Seven pairs of eyes stared up at her in guilt. Everyone was silent as the older children tried to come up with an excuse. "We we talking about the Baroness, Fraulein Maria!" Gretl said unknowingly blunt.

The rest of the children groaned and covered their faces, knowing there was no way to come up with an excuse after the truth was so bluntly put; even if it was by accident.

"Now, children, you know it's improper and certainly not nice to talk about people behind their backs," Maria told them.

"Oh, we know, Fraulein," Liesl said calmly. "But we weren't saying bad things about her. Merely stating what we thought of her."

The children all nodded and murmured their agreement.

"What do you think of her, Fraulein Maria?" Fredrich asked sincerely.

At that question, the children all became excited again, pleading her to tell them what she thought of the Baroness. Maria sighed and, knowing they would not go to bed without her telling them, quickly said the first thing that came to her mind.

"Well," she started. "I believe your father loves her, and she most likely loves your father. I believe she is very good for your father. Maybe she'll help him be a little happier again."

The children all nodded, satisfied with her answer, and all simultaneously muttered excited musings of 'good!' or 'it's so wonderful to see father happy again!'

Maria laughed at the hushed excitement that filled the room. "Now, children," she started. "I think it's time for you to _actually_ get to bed now." She turned to Liesl, Louisa, and Brigitta. "Goodnight, girls. Now, the rest of you," she said, pointing to the four who didn't belong in the room. "Off to bed."

The four children got up off the beds with disappointed sighs and followed Maria as she hurried them out of the older girls' bedroom.

….

"So, darling," Georg started downstairs in the sitting room. "How did you enjoy your first day?"

Elsa smiled across the coffee table at him and set down her glass of wine. "It was lovely, darling," she responded quietly. "It's so peaceful here; I don't think I ever want to return to Vienna again."

Georg chuckled at Elsa's response as Max walked back into the room, holding a glass of whiskey. "Sounds like those children of yours are having a difficult time allowing sleep to fall upon them, Georg," he chuckled as he sat down beside Elsa on the loveseat.

"Must be the excitement," Georg dismissed with a wave of his hand.

Elsa stood and moved to the piano as Max and Georg took out a deck of cards and began to deal them. Gently, Elsa lifted the lid of the grand piano and lightly ran her fingers over the white keys. She turned to look at Georg from across the room. "Do you mind, darling," she asked.

Slowly, Georg lifted his head from her hand of cards to look at Elsa standing beside the piano. "Oh, no, not at all, darling," he replied quickly. "Go ahead. I didn't know you played."

"I knew you didn't really approve of music," she stated, sitting down delicately at the bench. "At the time anyways, so I never bothered to play while you were visiting."

Georg nodded in understanding and turned back to his cards. "Well, I'd be delighted to hear you play now," he told her.

Smiling, Elsa turned back to the piano and, placing her fingers delicately upon the keys, began to play _Claire de Lune_. All three adults in the room stopped what they were doing when they heard a soft knock at the door.

"Pardon me, sir," Franz said, standing in the doorway. "But I have a telegram for you."

Georg nodded and stood up to retrieve it from his butler. "Thank you, Franz," he said, opening the telegram. Franz nodded curtly and left the room. Everyone was silent for a few moments as he looked over the telegram and then Georg chuckled. "Well, well, well," he started amused. "You'll never guess who is coming to visit Max!"

Max pondered this for a few seconds. "Hmm, the Queen of England?" he asked jokingly. He began to laugh at his own joke and Elsa chuckled quietly.

Georg rolled his eyes. "No," he said. "It's Elsa's favourite person, returning from his trip to America."

At this, everyone went silent, and then Max began to laugh harder and Elsa's eye went wide. "Charley?" Max gasped between laughter.

"No," Elsa shook her head. "No, no, and no!"

"It's too late, my dear," Max stated, still short of breath from laughing. "He's already sent us a telegram!"

"No! It was so peaceful. Now that's going to disappear because _he's_ coming," Elsa mumbled, disappointed.

Up to this point, Georg had tried to contain his laughter at Elsa's current situation, but now he was chuckling right along with Max. "Darling," he started. "Do—um—do _try _to get along with him."

"Oh, I'll_ try_," she snapped. "But only if _he_ behaves!"

Max continued to laugh. "Oh, we're in for a treat!" he chuckled. "This shall be _immensely_ amusing."

Georg and Max let out one last fit of laughter as Elsa huffed and turned back to the piano, now starting to play something a little more mood fitting.

….

_**And sorry guys, that's where I'm leaving you. This is more of a filler chapter because I had major writer's block with this chapter. I had absolutely no idea whatsoever what to do with it. So that is why it may seem a little shorter than what I usually write. I will try to make the next one longer, but I can't promise anything, considering I still have some writer's block. But you get to meet Charley Jackson next chapter! This is going to be, as Max would put it, 'immensely amusing!' Anywho, please review, favourite, alert, favourite author, even suggest to your friends or other authors please :)**_


End file.
